President Donald Trump called for federal intervention in Chicago after six people were killed and 39 others were shot over the weekend, while a separate investigation revealed that Washington, D.C. police officials manipulated crime statistics.
Chicago experienced a violent weekend that included a mass drive-by shooting in the Princeton Park neighborhood Friday night. Chicago police said two suspects fired from an SUV into a crowd, wounding 13 people in that incident alone.
Chicago Democratic Mayor Brandon Johnson responded to the violence on social media, stating, “I am heartbroken by the violence in Princeton Park last night. What should have been a night of celebration and community reflection for Juneteenth was shattered by a horrific act of violence.” Johnson added that his thoughts were with victims and their families.
Trump’s Response
Trump posted on Truth Social that “Lots of Killing going on in Chicago” and said he could “make Chicago a safe City in ONE MONTH.” Trump referenced his deployment of National Guard troops to Washington, D.C., last year as evidence of his crime-fighting approach.
Chicago police said all shootings remain under investigation. The city’s final casualty count showed six deaths and 39 shooting victims across multiple incidents over the weekend.
DC Crime Statistics Scandal
Meanwhile, an internal investigation in Washington, D.C. revealed that at least 13 Metropolitan Police Department officials were terminated or disciplined for allegedly manipulating crime statistics. According to reports reviewed by House Oversight Committee lawmakers, senior police officials downgraded serious offenses into lesser categories to make the city appear safer than it actually was.
Second District Commander Tatjana Savoy and former Third District Commander Michael Pulliam received termination notices. Pulliam had already been suspended the previous year over similar allegations.
Investigators concluded the practice was more widespread than initially believed, spanning multiple districts and levels of department leadership. The reclassification allegedly affected serious assaults, robberies, and other violent crimes.
Political Fallout
The scandal became politically sensitive because city officials and national Democrats repeatedly cited improving crime statistics as evidence of successful public safety efforts, even as residents reported ongoing concerns about violent crime and carjackings. District commanders told investigators they felt pressure from leadership to “fix” crime numbers, according to the committee’s report.
Former Police Chief Pamela Smith faced criticism for the department culture that allegedly encouraged the practice. Federal prosecutors reviewing department cases have since upgraded certain assault and firearms charges, according to recent reports, suggesting suspects had been undercharged by local authorities.